During the Curators Steps Project artists from KCAT have curated an exhibition featuring their own work and the work of peers from around Ireland they feel a connection with. For the Car Wheels Going Around exhibition, KCAT artist Lorna Corrigan has invited Laura Fitzgerald and KCAT artist Thomas Barron has invited Mary Fitzgerald. During the project Lorna and Thomas have researched artists, undertaken studio visits, selected and installed work and developed publicity information.

The exhibition title Car Wheels Going Around refers to the use of tyre hubcaps in Lorna Corrigan’s work at the same time as indicating the many journeys KCAT artists make with the aim of connecting and collaborating with their peers around Ireland and further afield.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Lorna Corrigan is a member of KCAT studio since 2004. She has shown internationally, including at the Galleria Art Kaarisilta Helsinki Finland, Gallery Prabelli Wiltz Luxembourg and Arts Project Melbourne Australia. She has also shown extensively in Ireland, including at Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre, Crawford Art Gallery Cork and Butler Gallery Kilkenny. Her work has been featured in the feature documentary Living Colour by Wild Fire Productions and in several publications, including the Engagement Project KCAT (2020), Perceptions: The Art of Citizenship (2016) and a retrospective catalogue (2023). Lorna works primarily on paper and canvas with a range of media, including ink, acrylic and pastel. Many of her wonderfully colourful works depict memories of scenes that have captivated her as well as dreams she has had. Her work is deeply personal and often registers a profound connectivity she feels with particular places, people, and the natural world. Lorna makes work in response to an inherent intolerance for seeing the world in mundane ways.

Laura Fitzgerald is a visual artist working in drawing, painting, installation, video, text and audio. She lives and works in Ballycullane, Inch, Co. Kerry. She is a graduate of both the National College of Art & Design, Dublin and Royal College of Art, London. Her work studies local narratives and knowledge as a way to explore larger global issues. These problems relate to land ownership, climate, careerism, interpersonal relationships, local politics, reconciliation and existentialism.  Her work, although encompassing different media, is grounded in the practice of drawing . She received a 2024 Markievicz award to work with the archive of experimental filmmaker, animator and poet, Flora Kerrigan. Through this research, Laura will present a series of new drawings, sculptures, a new audio and animation work, at Lismore Castle Arts, Mill Space, in June 2025. In 2026, Laura will work with cork-based organisation Bloomers, to produce a new publication, drawn from her work with Flora Kerrigan’s archive.

Thomas Barron is a founding member of KCAT studio. He has shown internationally, including at the Kaarisilta Gallery Finland, Beyond Festival Leeds UK and Kunsthaus Kannen Germany and the Freight Gallery Australia. He has also shown extensively in Ireland, including at the Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre, Crawford Gallery Cork and Galway Arts Centre. Thomas’ work has been featured in the documentary Living Colour by Wild Fire Productions and in several publications, including The Engagement Project KCAT (2020), Art & Inclusion: The Story of KCAT (2009), Visible Visions (2004) and a retrospective catalogue (2018). While Thomas has spent years honing a particular method for creating beautifully composed and colourful abstract paintings, his work is never constrained by the repetition of this well rehearsed process. Rather, in each new work, despite any tension between lines, shapes, patterns and colours, a certain harmony always prevails in his seeming relentless pursuit of balance.

Mary Fitzgerald has exhibited internationally and extensively in Ireland including at Visual Carlow, The Model Sligo, The Royal Hibernian Academy Dublin and the LAB Dublin, most recently showing work at Kites above the Castles at Wilton Gallery (curated by Patrick J. Murphy) and MINI/MAXI International Prints Berlin at Galleri Heike Arndt DK. Her work is held in Irish and International public and private collections and was most recently acquired by the OPW for the state collection. She has been the recipient of numerous scholarships and awards notably from The Arts Council of Ireland, the most recent of which is the Agility Award. She has also been the recipient of several residencies including the Heinrich Boll and Clo Ceardlann residencies. Mary lectures in Fine Art Print and First Year Studies at NCAD Dublin and is a member of Black Church Print Studio serving five years as Chairman. Her most recent solo show was ‘SWOON’ at The Olivier Cornet Gallery 2022.